Mount Pleasant, Iowa - With the 2006 NAIA Region VII Tournament just two days away, the No. 16 ranked and No. 1 seeded Saint Xavier University softball team learned that five of its players were named to the 2006 NAIA Region VII Softball Scholar-Athlete Team Monday when the team was announced by the Region VII Information Director. The five players from SXU were junior outfielder Marie Barker (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic), junior outfielder Nicole Barker (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic), junior first baseman Jory Bodi (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton), senior pitcher Kim Garner (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley), and senior pitcher Jessica Wilson (Munster, Ind./Munster). To qualify, players must be at least a junior in academic standing and possess a cumulative 3.25 or above grade-point average.

"Academics is always the No. 1 priority in our program, so this accomplishment means more to me than our win-loss record," said SXU head coach Myra Minuskin. "These five girls excel at whatever they put their minds to, so it's no surprise to me that they can successfully balance their school work with their playing careers."

Saint Xavier (36-12 overall/16-2 CCAC) heads to Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 10, to take part in the three-day 2006 NAIA Region VII Tournament hosted by Grand View College (Iowa). The Cougars will own the No. 1 seed at the region tourney and will play either No. 4 seed Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) or No. 5 seed William Penn (Iowa) at 1 p.m. Wednesday.